Monday, August 9, 2010

I probably have already mentioned it, but I have four younger brothers and 5 younger sisters. All of them are so different it amazes me and yet we are all very much the same. I find often that I will met someone new, someone I never could possibly have met before and yet it is like I have seen you before, I have met you, there is something familiar about you. It is really bizarre. It has happened a lot this summer. There is something common in human nature that we all share. Something which makes us all the same and yet so uniquely different as well. Although I see this eerie similarity there is always something about the other person which makes him or her separate, not the same as the other they reminded me of. It is totally bizarre and amazing!

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Last night I saw the Incredibles with my BFF. It is hard for me to chose a favorite character.

Mr. Incredible seems to be the main character. He is a retired superhero who's power is his physical strength. He finds his new life at the insurance company boring and pines for the old days. He becomes so caught up in the past that he neglects his family and is fired from his job. In one scene he and one of his old hero friends, Frozone, decide to relive the glory days and rescue some people from a burning building. They up end in trouble with the police.

Mr. Incredible's wife is also an ex-super hero, Elastigirl. She accepts her new life and just wants what is best for their family.

Mr. and Mrs. Incredible have 3 children Dash, Violet and Jack Jack. Dash can run at the speed of lighting. Violet can disappear and Jack Jack well no one knows what his super power is. He seems to just be normal.

Mrs. Incredible is determined to hide from the world their super identities but Mr. Incredible and the kids feel that they can't really be themselves. Bob's(a.k.a Mr. Incredible) reliving of the old days lead to his rediscovery by Syndrome, an old fan turned evil, who's plan is to destroy all superheros. Mr. Incredible is lured to his island on the pretense of a new job in which he will be able to use his super powers again. On his second trip Mr. Incredible is captured by Syndrome. When his wife, Helen(a.k.a Elastigirl), finds out about his double life she must resume her old super identity to save him. Dash and Violet sneak aboard for fun. As they work together to save Mr. Incredible the family discovers the powers that they have laid hidden and strength they have together as a family.

Mr. Incredible realises that what is most important to him is his wife and family. Mrs. Incredible learns not to be afraid or ashamed of their power. Violet gains self esteem, she stops wearing her hair in her face and has the courage to go on a date. Dash learns that his family is awesome and he really loves them as he says at the end. When they are free to be themselves the Incredibles shine. Before they kept trying to hide their true self's and the family was dysfunctional. The kids fought and got in trouble in school, Violet complained about not being a normal girl, Mr. Incredible sighed over police reports and newspaper articles and tried to help other people at work but only made things worse. Each person needed to discover their inner strength and use it. Their power, as Elastigirl sees from the beginning, is in their togetherness as a family.

Elastigirl is an awesome character. She just rolls with the punches. Whatever life throws at her she takes it, stretching and changing shape to fit the situation. That what supermoms have to do. Mr. Incredible is also a great character. He is your typical gentle giant. I've met people like that. They are huge but they wouldn't hurt a fly. They break things and scare people because they don't realize how strong they are. Inside, behind all that strength, they have hearts of butter. Violet and Dash are also well thought out characters. Violet is extremely self aware and uncomfortable with herself. Sometimes she just wants to shrink and disappear like a lot of 13 year olds. Dash is this explosion of energy like my brothers were at that age. All his energy is frustrated though because his mother won't let him play sports and goes into bickering with Violet and pranks(hint, hint this is why kids especially energetic ones need to be involved with sports!). Great characters, very true to life.

Frozone, I think might have been my favorite because the scenes with him were so funny. Frozone: "The greater good is in danger!"

His Wife:"I am your wife. I 'm your greatest good".

I will say I liked UP better but this is a must see for all real superhero fans( in other words I am not a real super hero fan but I am a true fan of PIXAR).